Chelsea Hit by F.A. Toughness

You’ve got to hand it to the F.A. – they certainly know how to get tough when the occasion demands it. Take Chelsea for instance. After their players pressurised referee Mark Halsey in the game against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 4th March, they were hit with a £10,000 fine and a stern warning about their future conduct.

Then, to the astonishment of everyone at Soho Square, two weeks later Chelsea were at it again in a bad tempered encounter against Fulham at Craven Cottage which saw protests after Mike Dean had the audacity to disallow Didier Drogba’s equaliser for handball, plus touchline skirmishes and the dismissal of William Gallas, which he marked by making gestures to the home fans.

So after long and careful deliberation, how exactly did the F.A. mark Chelsea’s second offence within a month? Well, this time they really threw the book at them. Fined £10,000 and warned as to their future conduct.

That should do it.